MAGISTRATES COURT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1617, 7 December 1912, Page 3

MAGISTRATES COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.j THE DRAB SCENE. SAVAGE NIGHT IN SAGE'S LANE. COURT DIAXOGUE. The parties concerned in. a lively episode in. Sage's Lane, on Deoember 2, gave their versions of , the occurrence': to Mr. Riddell, S.M., ,in the Magistrate's ll : Court yesterday. ' ' These doings of the evening came,under the notice of .the Court through .Sarah Falloon, who: lives r in Sage's Lane,, laying an information of assault against Patrick M'Kay and G-us Flux.In the . witness-bok, the informant, Sarah Falloon, told the Court that, on the evening of December 2, M'Kay and Flux had gone to the door of the house where she lived, and had asked her for a shilling.. .To'their request, she had replied that she was not possessed of that coin. • The men had gone away, but had returned, and asked her if she intended to give them a shilling. Once more she had said "No." On this visit, M'Kay had taken her by the liair of her head, and, so she asserted, Flux had kicked her. .She alleged that both men had struck :her. His Worship (to defendants): Have you any questions to ask the informant? Flux (to Mrs. Falloon): How much do you owe me for my food? Informant:.l don't owe you anything. Last Wednesday week 1 I went out ..and spent 17s. on.food for you, '' Flux: You never,did. His Worship: .Oh, this is .irrelevant. Any more .questions? Flux: Nothing more.' • An elderly man named Thomas Donovan then gave evidence to the effect that ho had seen some disturbance, and had gone for the police. His Worship: Any questions, Flux? Flux: No. M'Kay lias one. M'Kay: Were you not in her house on Tuesday? Donovan: Yes. 'M'Kay: Wasn't Mrs. -—, a;. prohibited woman, there? His Worship : You need not answer that question, • 'witness. Alfred Hart, a seafaring man, was the next witness. His evidence was as follows : "I went to Mrs. Falloon's to borrow an axe. Theso two chaps came to the door, and one of them asked for a shilling His Worship:• Which was that? Hart (pointing):, The choip. here called Gus, the thinnest fellow of the two. And then Mrs. Falloon said: "I haven't got ono or I would give you one." The other cliap (M'Kay) then said: "What about the tucker I sent down to you on Sunday." (Hart here related Mrs. Falloon's reply.) Then one picked ivp a chair His Worship: Which one? Hart: This thin chap here; I don't know his nape. . . - His Worship: Was this inside? Hart: It was inside. The other chap picked up a saucepan off the stove, then. His Worship: Well, what happened after tllflfc? Hart: The thin chap took hold of Mrs. Falloon, and then I thought it time to take a part. His Worship: Were there any blows struck? Hart: .Yes. Both of them struck Mrs. Falloon.' Where—ln the chest. Did you see any kicking?—" Yes, there was kicking." Who was kicking?—"Tho thin clia".' Well, you say you saw an assault?—"l did." Did Mrs. Falloon strike either of the defendants?—"No; she took .up a jug to protect herself, but didn't use it." How long did the occurrence lust?—"lt lasted about ten minutes in the house. It went on in Sago's Lano then." Was Mrs. Falloon hurt?—" She was." M'Kay (to Hart): Did you see me strike hor? Hart: Absolutely, I did... Did you strike mo?—'"I struck you with a chair, in self-defence, and I would do it again." The defendants were then asked if they wished to give evidence. M'Kay at first declined; and it wns only after some hesitation that Flux decided' to go inlo the box. Fis Worship: Your name is Gns Flux? Flux (precisely): "Au-gus-tus Flux." Tim') (without beiiij; invited to address the Court): I don't know this woman, or, this lady, I should say. She takes so ninny names. His Worship: Never mind the name. I want to hear about the assault. Flux: .Well, my mata .wont .down to.

seo about something, and this gentleman hero (Hart) took up a looking glass and struck my mate across the head with it, and tlint is the mark ho was showing you just now. You say you never took part in any assault?—"l didn't." M'Kay then decided to give evidence. His Worship: You have heard the evidence. What have you to say? M'Kay: I say I never struck the woman in my life. I went do;™ to "et the money for a week's food from her. I never asked-her for a shilling. His Worship convicted the two defendants, fined them 103. each, and ordered each to pay 4s. witnesses' expenses. M'Kay.: I ask for time to pay. Sub-Inspector Sheehan: I -understand, your Worship, that if you give them time they will not pay. M'Kay: Yes we will, your worship. All wo want is three 'days' time. Flux: Ask for a week. His Worship: You will get 24 hours' time. M'Kay: Eight you are, your Worship. STOWAWAYS FEOM PAPEETE. Henry Riley, Henry M'Entegart, and Joseph Murray were charged with having travelled from Papeete to Wellington on the steamer Aorangi without having paid their fares. The defendants all pleaded guilty, and Sub-Inspector Sheehan stated that the fare was JGB for each. The Court fined the stowaways JBS each, with one month's imprisonment as the alternative. BROKEN BY-LAWS. J. Ferguson, a carrier, was fined 10s„ with costs lis., for having solicited cus-. torn on Thorndon railway platform, and 10s., with costs 95., for having, without a license, plied for hire on the carriers' stand at the station. For non-compliance with a municipal drainage notice, Walter Brown was fined JJI, with costs 7s. ' v George Henry Hunt was fined 55., with costs lis., for having allowed a horse to wander in Customhouse Quay. Percy Box was fined 10s., _ with costs 75.. for having ridden (by night) a bicycle which was not lighted. THE LABOUR LAWS. For having failed to keep a wages and overtime book, Albert Henry Cock was fined .£l, with costs'7s.; S. and-W. Mackay were ordered to pay 7s. costs; and Mrs. K. Jew was'-convicted and discharged. William Nidd was fined 10s., with costs 75., for having worked two women in excess of a certain number of hours per. week. OTHER CASES. Sarah Falloon was sentenced to one month's imprisonment on a chajge of having importuned in Ghuzneo Street; and Elizabeth Mulgrave was fined £2, in default seven days' imprisonment, ou a charge of having importuned in Tory Street. For offences under the Defence Act, the following were convicted, and the majority of them were penalised in small sums:— Joseph Rob?rts Nicholson, Walter Georgo Bedford, James Peter Walker, Albert Edward Rankin, Francis Douglas Bell, James Douglas Shearer, Hugh Mackail, Clifford Hayes, William Robert O'Leary, Hugh Christie Ambrose Collins, Charles Graham Lamberg, Thomas Stewart Soott, John Andrew Forsytlie, Ernest Sortain Smith, and Francis Joseph Ashworth. Maurice Brown was fined 10s. for inebriety, and was ordered to pay medical exj>eaise3, ill Is., respecting an assault which lie made upon James Canning. For insobriety,, Lilian Jukes .was fined 10s., and was prohibited; and James Canning was fined 10s. I